Georgia County Distress Index
Financial distress scores for all 159 counties in Georgia, scored 0–100 across five domains. Mean score: 63.3. 119counties are in the two most distressed fifths.
Data: Census, BLS, Urban Institute, HUD, US Courts | Scores as of 2026-03-26
Georgia Snapshot
159 Counties Scored
63.3 Mean Score
66.0 Median Score
90.4 Hancock County Most Distressed
10.3 Oconee County Least Distressed
74 Most distressed fifth45 Second-most distressed fifth21 Middle fifth17 Second-least distressed fifth2 Least distressed fifth
Quintile Distribution Georgia County Map
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Least distressed fifth Second-least distressed fifth Middle fifth Second-most distressed fifth Most distressed fifth
All 159 Georgia counties colored by distress fifth. Hover for details; click released counties for full reports.
Most & Least Distressed
Most Distressed
Least Distressed
Score Distribution
How Georgia's 159 county scores are distributed across the 0–100 scale.
All Georgia Counties
159 counties ranked by distress score. Click column headers to sort.
| State Rank | Nat'l Rank | County | Score | Distress Fifth | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Hancock County | 90.4 | Most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 2 | 14 | Dougherty County | 90.2 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 3 | 32 | Bibb County | 86.1 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 4 | 42 | Richmond County | 85.6 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 5 | 60 | Clayton County | 84.3 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 6 | 70 | Terrell County | 83.7 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 7 | 84 | Telfair County | 82.7 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 8 | 93 | Burke County | 82.1 | Most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 9 | 97 | Early County | 81.8 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 10 | 102 | Sumter County | 81.6 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 11 | 106 | Mitchell County | 81.4 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 12 | 113 | Clay County | 81.1 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 13 | 120 | Quitman County | 80.9 | Most distressed fifth | Labor |
| 14 | 149 | Crisp County | 79.7 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 15 | 151 | Macon County | 79.6 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 16 | 152 | Talbot County | 79.6 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 17 | 163 | McDuffie County | 79.2 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 18 | 173 | Ware County | 78.7 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 19 | 176 | Spalding County | 78.5 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 20 | 185 | Muscogee County | 78.3 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 21 | 198 | Randolph County | 77.7 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 22 | 216 | Brooks County | 76.7 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 23 | 222 | Newton County | 76.6 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 24 | 245 | Taylor County | 75.8 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 25 | 254 | Wilkinson County | 75.5 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 26 | 256 | Rockdale County | 75.5 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 27 | 259 | Stewart County | 75.4 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 28 | 264 | Baldwin County | 75.2 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 29 | 265 | Ben Hill County | 75.2 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 30 | 270 | Jefferson County | 75.1 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 31 | 287 | Worth County | 74.6 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 32 | 288 | Twiggs County | 74.6 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 33 | 295 | Warren County | 74.4 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 34 | 301 | Baker County | 74.3 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 35 | 316 | Turner County | 73.6 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 36 | 334 | Charlton County | 73.1 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 37 | 349 | Liberty County | 72.8 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 38 | 368 | Washington County | 72.4 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 39 | 370 | Seminole County | 72.3 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 40 | 372 | Meriwether County | 72.2 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 41 | 384 | Decatur County | 71.9 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 42 | 409 | Upson County | 71.3 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 43 | 410 | McIntosh County | 71.3 | Most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 44 | 413 | Lanier County | 71.2 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 45 | 414 | Lowndes County | 71.2 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 46 | 434 | Henry County | 70.7 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 47 | 445 | Cook County | 70.5 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 48 | 462 | Chattooga County | 70.1 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 49 | 465 | Stephens County | 70.1 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 50 | 480 | Marion County | 69.8 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 51 | 483 | Atkinson County | 69.8 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 52 | 491 | Troup County | 69.6 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 53 | 495 | Webster County | 69.6 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 54 | 501 | Grady County | 69.3 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 55 | 509 | Laurens County | 69.2 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 56 | 512 | Pulaski County | 69.1 | Most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 57 | 514 | Treutlen County | 69.0 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 58 | 519 | Polk County | 68.9 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 59 | 520 | Elbert County | 68.9 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 60 | 534 | Jenkins County | 68.6 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 61 | 536 | Coffee County | 68.6 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 62 | 542 | Thomas County | 68.5 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 63 | 552 | Douglas County | 68.3 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 64 | 559 | Carroll County | 68.3 | Most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 65 | 567 | DeKalb County | 68.2 | Most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 66 | 568 | Taliaferro County | 68.2 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 67 | 581 | Clinch County | 68.0 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 68 | 587 | Calhoun County | 67.9 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 69 | 588 | Peach County | 67.9 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 70 | 601 | Emanuel County | 67.6 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 71 | 607 | Miller County | 67.5 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 72 | 608 | Butts County | 67.5 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 73 | 612 | Screven County | 67.5 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 74 | 625 | Evans County | 67.2 | Most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 75 | 636 | Dooly County | 66.9 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 76 | 645 | Dodge County | 66.7 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 77 | 653 | Wilkes County | 66.5 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 78 | 663 | Wayne County | 66.3 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 79 | 664 | Crawford County | 66.3 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 80 | 676 | Colquitt County | 66.0 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 81 | 679 | Toombs County | 66.0 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 82 | 708 | Chattahoochee County | 65.5 | Second-most distressed fifth | Labor |
| 83 | 714 | Floyd County | 65.4 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 84 | 718 | Chatham County | 65.3 | Second-most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 85 | 734 | Candler County | 64.9 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 86 | 735 | Heard County | 64.9 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 87 | 740 | Bacon County | 64.9 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 88 | 749 | Jeff Davis County | 64.7 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 89 | 771 | Walker County | 64.3 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 90 | 802 | Brantley County | 63.8 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 91 | 807 | Bulloch County | 63.7 | Second-most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 92 | 813 | Irwin County | 63.7 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 93 | 875 | Bleckley County | 62.5 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 94 | 901 | Berrien County | 62.1 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 95 | 913 | Clarke County | 61.9 | Second-most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 96 | 933 | Tift County | 61.4 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 97 | 946 | Wheeler County | 61.1 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 98 | 947 | Fulton County | 61.1 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 99 | 958 | Wilcox County | 61.0 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 100 | 977 | Lincoln County | 60.7 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 101 | 980 | Jasper County | 60.6 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 102 | 981 | Putnam County | 60.6 | Second-most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 103 | 993 | Pierce County | 60.5 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 104 | 1,000 | Lamar County | 60.4 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 105 | 1,012 | Tattnall County | 60.2 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 106 | 1,031 | Murray County | 59.8 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 107 | 1,034 | Montgomery County | 59.8 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 108 | 1,036 | Franklin County | 59.8 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 109 | 1,057 | Walton County | 59.3 | Second-most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 110 | 1,063 | Echols County | 59.3 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 111 | 1,064 | Johnson County | 59.2 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 112 | 1,072 | Haralson County | 59.2 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 113 | 1,090 | Appling County | 58.9 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 114 | 1,122 | Long County | 58.4 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 115 | 1,156 | Barrow County | 57.8 | Second-most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 116 | 1,159 | Gwinnett County | 57.7 | Second-most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 117 | 1,164 | Jones County | 57.7 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 118 | 1,173 | Whitfield County | 57.5 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 119 | 1,203 | Bartow County | 57.0 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 120 | 1,264 | Glynn County | 56.0 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 121 | 1,291 | Houston County | 55.5 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 122 | 1,319 | Schley County | 54.9 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 123 | 1,380 | Madison County | 54.0 | Middle fifth | Delinquency |
| 124 | 1,388 | Hart County | 53.9 | Middle fifth | Delinquency |
| 125 | 1,419 | Paulding County | 53.4 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 126 | 1,421 | Camden County | 53.3 | Middle fifth | Delinquency |
| 127 | 1,466 | Glascock County | 52.2 | Middle fifth | Delinquency |
| 128 | 1,537 | Lee County | 51.2 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 129 | 1,547 | Oglethorpe County | 51.0 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 130 | 1,596 | Gordon County | 50.0 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 131 | 1,606 | Catoosa County | 49.9 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 132 | 1,621 | Hall County | 49.5 | Middle fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 133 | 1,636 | Pickens County | 49.3 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 134 | 1,671 | Dade County | 48.6 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 135 | 1,679 | Pike County | 48.5 | Middle fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 136 | 1,735 | Cobb County | 47.7 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 137 | 1,755 | Monroe County | 47.3 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 138 | 1,791 | Effingham County | 46.7 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 139 | 1,795 | Lumpkin County | 46.6 | Middle fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 140 | 1,821 | Morgan County | 46.2 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 141 | 1,922 | White County | 44.4 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 142 | 1,934 | Rabun County | 44.2 | Second-least distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 143 | 1,942 | Fannin County | 44.1 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 144 | 1,946 | Coweta County | 43.9 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 145 | 1,951 | Banks County | 43.9 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 146 | 1,958 | Greene County | 43.8 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 147 | 2,026 | Habersham County | 42.7 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 148 | 2,036 | Towns County | 42.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 149 | 2,100 | Fayette County | 41.3 | Second-least distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 150 | 2,165 | Jackson County | 40.1 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 151 | 2,182 | Gilmer County | 39.8 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 152 | 2,211 | Bryan County | 39.3 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 153 | 2,227 | Dawson County | 39.0 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 154 | 2,341 | Union County | 36.7 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 155 | 2,367 | Harris County | 36.1 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 156 | 2,435 | Cherokee County | 34.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 157 | 2,438 | Columbia County | 34.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 158 | 3,017 | Forsyth County | 18.2 | Least distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 159 | 3,130 | Oconee County | 10.3 | Least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
How County Scores Work
Each county is scored 0–100 using five equal-weighted domains. Each domain averages its member indicators' county ranks, and the composite is the mean of those domain scores. Higher scores indicate greater household financial distress.
Most distressed fifth — 74 Georgia counties
Second-most distressed fifth — 45 Georgia counties
Middle fifth — 21 Georgia counties
Second-least distressed fifth — 17 Georgia counties
Least distressed fifth — 2 Georgia counties